


Smoking

by biswholocked



Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: Ficlet, Gen, Post-Reichenbach, Smoking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-19
Updated: 2015-02-19
Packaged: 2018-03-13 19:35:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3393734
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/biswholocked/pseuds/biswholocked
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>On hotels, and cravings.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Smoking

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the [Drabble Fest 2015](http://bbcsherlock.livejournal.com/1247425.html). The prompt was "Sherlock Holmes; smoking".

The hotel room in Amsterdam is cold and filled with the smell of musty furniture. There are cracks running up and down the walls, but it’ll do; Sherlock drops enough money in the owner’s hand to cover two week’s worth of payment and closes the door in his face with a brusque dismissal.

He knows he has to lay low for a couple weeks, long enough for Moriarty’s network to begin lowering its watchful eyes, but inactivity makes his skin itch with craving. With a sharp huff of impatience, Sherlock runs his hand through his hair - trying to disregard how rough the newly-shorn ends feel - and unzips his suitcase with sharp movements. His stash of cigarettes and matches is sandwiched between two shirts, and with a short, sharp grin, Sherlock stuffs them in his pocket. He stalks to the window and wrenchs it open, ignoring the blast of cold air against his face as he shimmies out onto the fire escape.

The smell of sulfur makes something in his tense with anticipation, but the first drag of the cigarette makes it uncurl in his chest, relaxing his muscles. He holds his breath for a count of ten, savouring the taste of nicotine and tar on his tongue, then releases it in a plume of smoke; it lazily drifts up into the air, and Sherlock watches impassively, wiping his mind clean of London, John, Lestrade, Mrs Hudson. They will do him no favours now.

He sticks the cigarette between his lips again, then takes another steady breath.

 

 


End file.
